With the onset of rainy season, the Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday warned the public about wading through flood, especially those with cuts or abrasions on their skin as they are prone to infections, including leptospirosis.
“Pero importante avoid to wade or maglakad sa baha lalo na pag may sugat (It is important that they will not wade or walk in the floods especially if they have skin abrasion or cuts),” DOH Undersecretary Enrique Domingo in an interview with the media in Tayuman, Sta. Cruz. Manila.
Domingo said that wounds or any other body opening such as eyes, nose, mouth and ears can become an entry point for leptospirae bacteria.
“So it is important that a person will check if the parts of their body were exposed to floodwater,” Domingo said.
In case their wounds were soaked in dirty floodwater, the health official advised them to immediately seek consultation and be alert for some signs or symptoms of leptospirosis.
The symptoms of the disease include high fever, muscle pain, eye redness, chills, severe headache, vomiting, diarrhea, or yellowish skin discoloration.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection caused by the leptospira spirochetes bacteria that is spread through the urine of infected animals, especially rats.
The incubation period for those exposed is between seven to 10 days.
If left untreated, the DOH said leptospirosis may cause kidney failure, brain damage, massive internal bleeding, and worst death.
From January 1 to June 9 this year, there were a total of 1,030 cases of leptospirosis nationwide, according to the data from the DOH's epidemiology bureau.
“This is 41 percent higher than the number of cases recorded during the same period last year,” Domingo said.
Of the total number of cases, around 93 deaths were recorded by the agency.
Majority of the cases came from Western Visayas (221), Caraga (162), Davao Region (86), National Capital Region (85). (Leilani Junio/PNA)
